Compare the full reroof plan, not one total at the bottom
Control Change Orders During a Roof Replacement
Use one written path from discovered condition to approved work and final record.
Set the rule before mobilization
Name the owner representative who can approve changes and a backup if that person is unavailable. Require written evidence before additional work proceeds except where the contract already defines an authorized allowance or another agreed process. Make sure site contacts know they cannot approve cost unless they are named.
The baseline package should include the signed scope, roof map, selected alternates, material schedule, and current contract amount. Changes are difficult to audit when the starting documents are scattered.
Make each request answer five questions
A change request should state what was found, where it is located, why the original scope does not cover it, what physical work is proposed, and how price or time changes. Photos should include context and detail so the owner can locate the condition on the roof map.
Use sequential change numbers. Record “approved,” “rejected,” or “pending” with date and approver. Do not overwrite a pending request when the quantity changes; issue a revision that preserves the earlier record.
Reconcile before final payment
At closeout, compare each approved change with field photos, measured quantities, and the final invoice. Update the roof map for added deck work, changed details, or excluded areas. Confirm that pending requests are resolved rather than silently included.
Store the baseline, all revisions, approvals, photos, and final documents in one project folder. This record helps future repairs and prevents the next owner or manager from treating a change-order description as if it applied to the entire roof.
- Who has written approval authority?
- Where is the condition on the map?
- What cost and time change is requested?
- Does the final invoice match approved revisions?
Keep schedule claims tied to facts
A change can affect sequence, inspection, material, or dry-in planning. Ask for the specific schedule effect and the next decision date instead of a broad statement that the entire project is delayed.
When the effect cannot yet be measured, record it as pending and set an update point. This keeps the owner informed without turning an early field estimate into a fixed completion promise. Note whether the change affects only one area or the broader work sequence.